Dynamically directed workpiece positioning system

A workpiece processing system, wherein the workpiece processing system comprises:

• a positioning device operable to move a workpiece relative to a support surface of a transport, wherein the support surface is movable to convey the workpiece on said support surface in a first direction toward a cutting device located downstream of the positioning device along a path of flow;
• a control device configured for use by a human operator to operate the positioning device;
• a sensor positioned above the transport and configured to detect the workpiece on the support surface of the transport while the workpiece is upstream of the cutting device along the path of flow;
• and
• a computer system operatively coupled with the sensor, wherein the computer system is programmed with instructions operable, upon execution by a processor, to
• determine, based on data from the sensor, a first actual position of the workpiece relative to the support surface of the transport while the workpiece is on the support surface upstream of the cutting device along the path of flow;
• compare the first actual position to a first cut solution for the workpiece, a desired position that corresponds to the first cut solution, or a cut pattern that corresponds to the first cut solution;
• and
• based at least on the comparison, send one or more commands to an output device to output one or more instructions to guide the human operator in repositioning the workpiece with the positioning device to the desired position on the support surface upstream o the cutting device, wherein the output device includes a projector, a display, or a speaker.

A computer-implemented method comprising:

• receiving, from a sensor positioned above a transport with a movable support surface, two or more sets of scan data for a workpiece on the support surface of the transport, wherein the sets of scan data are obtained by the sensor while the workpiece is moved angularly relative to the transport, wherein the transport is operable to convey the workpiece on said support surface in a first direction toward a cutting device, and the sensor is positioned to obtain the sets of scan data while the workpiece is on the transport and upstream of the cutting device;
• determining a cut solution for the workpiece based on one or more of the sets of scan data;
• determining an actual position of the workpiece relative to the support surface of the transport while the workpiece is on the support surface upstream of the cutting device based on at least one of the sets of scan data;
• and
• causing an output device to output one or more instructions to guide a human operator in repositioning the workpiece with the positioning device from the actual position to a desired position on the support surface, upstream of the cutting device, that corresponds to the cut solution, wherein the output device includes a projector, a speaker, or a display.